A/N: A shout out to my anonymous reviewer! Elphaba's parentage isn't pertanent to the case against the Wizard but there are other things... Thanks!

Chapter 16

Glinda's turn on the stand had ended and the judges decided to call for a lunch break. The blonde approached Elphaba who had been sitting behind the prosecution's table.

"You think the judges are buying it?" She asked.

"You're Glinda the Good. They believe you. Our bigger problem will be my testimony," the green woman said as she stood from her seat. She then went over to the Wizard and told his chains to release from the chair. Zetti, Duncan, and Bock hauled him up from the chair and then took him to the cells located inside the courtroom.

"I can't do this," Kahui voiced his objections once again to the judges, now that his client was out of earshot.

"Once again sir, you signed on as a public defender. It is your job to defend your client to the best of your ability – whether you like them or not. I would think you'd want to zealously defend your client, so his supporters don't think you were just standing there doing nothing. I would think they'd be angrier at that than you actually trying to defend him," Judge Griffin pointed out.

"And if he's convicted? Who will protect me?" Kahui wanted to know.

"You will be given protection by the Gale Force. Just as any other person who may be threatened by someone else," Private Schultz spoke up.

"The Private is right. Unless there is an actual legal reason why you cannot represent your client then you are expected to do your job," Judge Mikhail told the lawyer. Kahui's shoulders fell, and he then left the courtroom.

"He might disappear while we're on break," Elphaba commented to Schultz.

"No, he won't. Norris was tasked with keeping an eye on him. Now why don't we get you ladies some lunch before Miss Elphaba has to take the stand?" The Private asked. They agreed and quickly headed back towards the Emerald Palace.

Forty-five minutes later, everyone filed back into the courtroom. Once again, Elphaba enchanted the Wizard's shackles and then went to sit in the public seating area behind the tables meant for the lawyers. The judges took their seats and then Judge Cenk asked,

"Are we ready to proceed?"

"We are, your Honors," Prosecutor Doruk told the judges.

"Yes, your Honors," everyone was surprised that Kahui had shown up but that he also seemed to be in a better frame of mind.

"Very well. Mr. Doruk call your witness," Judge Griffin said.

"The government calls Miss Elphaba Thropp," Doruk said. The green woman stood up and walked through the gate and up to the witness stand. She was quickly sworn in by a court officer and then took her seat.

"Now Miss Elphaba, you claim that you were framed by Madame Morrible and the defendant. You are not, in fact, a wicked witch?" Doruk asked.

"I am not. Very simply, I refused to go along with Morrible and the Wizard's plan, so I had to be dealt with. It would seem that they tended toward the sadistic and decided that, rather than killing me outright, they would rather trash my reputation and use me to bring the peoples of Oz under their heel," she responded.

"Objection, no foundation," Kahui spoke up. This of course was not true. The proof had been sent out by the Council.

"Foundation was established by the Council announcement. I have a copy of said announcement. It's Peoples' exhibit number five," Doruk handed the paperwork over to the judges.

"Sustained, please continue," Judge Cenk said.

"Since we're using the Council's announcement as evidence, let's skip ahead to the explosion at the Emerald Palace. What happened that day?" Doruk asked. Elphaba carefully and calmly explained everything that had happened.

"Objection, again no foundation," Kahui spoke up.

"Your Honors, I proffer that the testimony given by Lady Glinda opens the door for offers or proof. We have Lieutenant Zetti and Captain Fiyero on our witness list. They can confirm Miss Elphaba's statements," Doruk said.

"Since more than one witness has seen the incident in question, we'll hold the foundation issue until after they have all testified. Please continue," Judge Griffin ruled.

"So, after you saved Lady Glinda, you then assisted Captain Fiyero?" Doruk wondered.

"Yes, his wrist was broken and I quickly used a spell to heal it," she said.

"What about you? Weren't you injured?" The prosecutor asked.

"Yes, but by then my magic was running low and I had to have assistance from Royal Physician Talib to pop my shoulder back into position," Elphaba said.

"Now I have to turn your attention to something. You got angry with the Wizard after you were rescued…" Elphaba knew this question would be coming. The prosecutor said that they needed to bring it up, so it didn't look like she was hiding anything.

"I did get angry. He'd already taken so much from me. I couldn't bear to lose Glinda as well," she admitted.

"What happened exactly?" Doruk wanted to know.

"I almost strangled him. I was reminded by Lieutenant Zetti that I should not become the person that the Wizard had tried to paint me as. He also reminded me that a trial was the best way to handle the treasonous… defendant," there was another word she'd wanted to use but she thought she had gotten her point across. Doruk moved on asking about what they'd found in Morrible's office and just what the plans had been for Oz. Finally, the prosecution figured it had enough to be done with Elphaba. Of course, that meant it was now Kahui's turn.

To Be Continued…